Muskingum
PearOrigin & History
Origin uncertain, but probably a native of Ohio. Hedrick notes that Connecticut is also a possible native habitat. An American variety.
Tree
Very vigorous, upright, hardy, and productive (Downing). Young wood dull reddish olive brown (Downing).
Fruit
Size: Medium.
Form: Roundish according to Downing and Thomas. Hedrick describes it as globular to obovate. Elliott gives roundish obovate.
Stem: Long. Elliott adds that it is slender.
Cavity: Small.
Calyx: Open. Elliott adds that the segments are short and connected.
Basin: Very shallow according to Downing. Thomas describes it as shallow.
Skin: Greenish yellow, much dotted with russet and green (Downing). Hedrick describes it as greenish-yellow with dark specks and much russet. Elliott notes numerous russet specks. Thomas says thickly dotted.
Flesh & Flavor: Downing describes the flesh as melting, with a pleasant, brisk flavor. Thomas also describes it as melting, pleasant, and perfumed. Hedrick describes the flesh as breaking, yellow-white, with many dark specks and much russet, juicy, sprightly, vinous, pleasantly perfumed, with an aromatic flavor. Elliott describes the flesh as white and coarse. Quality rated good by all sources that mention it.
Core & Seeds: Not described in sources.
Season
Middle to last of August. Thomas gives end of August.
Uses
Not described in sources.
Subtypes & Variants
Not described in sources.
Book Sources
Described in 4 period pomological works
View original book sources (4)
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Muskingum.
Origin, supposed Ohio. Tree very vigorous, upright, hardy, and productive. Young wood dull reddish olive brown.
Fruit medium, roundish, greenish yellow, much dotted with russet and green. Stalk long. Cavity small. Calyx open. Basin very shallow. Flesh melting, with a pleasant, brisk flavor. Good. Ripe middle and last of August.
— U.P. Hedrick, The Pears of New York (1921)Muskingum.
- Cole Am. Fr. Book 153. 1849. 2. Downing Fr. Trees Am. 819. 1869.
Origin uncertain, but probably either Ohio or Connecticut is its native habitat. Fruit medium, globular to obovate, greenish-yellow, with dark specks and much russet; flesh breaking, yellow-white, with many dark specks and much russet, juicy, sprightly, vinous, pleasantly perfumed, aromatic flavor; good; middle and last of Aug.
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)Muskingum.
American. Supposed a native of Ohio. Fruit, medium, roundish obovate, greenish yellow, numerous russet specks ; stem, long, slender ; calyx, open ; segments, short, connected ; flesh, white, coarse ; "good." Last August.
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)Muskingum. Medium, roundish; greenish-yellow, thickly dotted; stalk long, cavity small; basin shallow; flesh melting, pleasant, perfumed. End of August.